Glinda Turns Green

What's this at the top of my to-do list? "End global warming"? Hmmm - that's a lot to take on before the weekend.

But I can start. I'm going to calculate my carbon footprint - the amount I personally contribute to the perilous build-up of greenhouses gases - mostly carbon dioxide generated by the fossil fuel that powers the creation or processing of nearly everything I eat, drink, wear, or use to decorate, adorn myself, stay warm, stay cool, move from place to place, or have fun. Be back in a sec.

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Eeek. I went to the Carbon Footprint Calculator at the Nature Conservancy website (www.nature.org), answered some quick, simple questions - and learned that I create 28 tons of CO2 emissions each year, slightly more than the American average for a single-person household, which is 27 tons, but, mortifyingly, more than four times greater than the average for the same sized household in the rest of the world.

There was good news and bad news. On the righteous side: I recycle, use a fuel-saving Energy Star stove and fridge, rely on public transportation 90 percent of the time, and eat very little red meat (raising cattle uses land that could be devoted to oxygen-producing trees, and petroleum gets the animals to the slaughterhouse and the meat to our tables). Here's where I'm not so hot in the end-global-warming department: I took four long plane trips and three short ones in 2007; the jet fuel required created 9.8 tons of CO2 (plus peanut and pretzel package litter and plastic swizzle sticks).

I can offset my carbon emissions by donating to projects that involve creating renewable energy (such as wind farms), promoting energy efficiency, or planting trees - and I will, when I can afford to. But we can all take immediate steps at home, little things that, according to the Nature Conservancy and other sources, make a big difference. I've got a few chores to take care of. Back in a sec.

Okey-dokey. I just unplugged all appliances I wasn't using (cell-phone charger, hair dryer, toaster, DVD player, food processor, microwave) - a major energy suck. I replaced three standard incandescent light bulbs with little curly compact fluorescents, saving 300 pounds of carbon over the life of the bulb. Tonight I'm going to turn off my computer, instead of leaving it in sleep mode, as I usual do. Tiny steps - but the planet feels cooler already. Me too.

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